Rotary-dump feeder mechanism



J. A. NOLAN ROTARY DUMP FEEDER MECHANISM March 4, 1924;

2 Sheets-Sheet.1

Filed Aug. 7, 1922 mvzu'ron k BY y I ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 4, 19241.

stare stares meant JAMES A. NOLAN, OF BOW'ERSTON, OHIO.

ROTARY-DUMP FEEDER MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES A. NOLAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bowerston, in the county of Harrison and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rotary-Dump Feeder Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to feeding and stop mechanisms specially adapted for use in connection with rotary dumps used in mining and similar operations.

This invention is intended as an improve ment over thc'apparatus disclosed in my U.

S. Patent 1,301,732 which discloses mechanism foruse in connection with a vertically movable cage. The primary object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of simple construction and operationwhich may be readily applied to a rotary dump and in which the parts are so constructed and related as to obtain accuracy of operation and avoid possibility of accident. Further objects will appear from the detailed description. r

In the drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of the mechanism as applied; 1- Figure 2 is a side View; Figure 3 is a section taken substantially on line 3-3of Fig. 1;

' Figure 4: is-a section taken subtantia-lly on line H of Fig. 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section taken substantially on line'55 of Fig. 1.

Dump A may be of anysuitable or preferred construction and is rotatably mount ed in aknown manner'for'rotation on a horizontal axis. There are several well known means for rotating dumps of this character and for controlling the rotation of the dump, all of which are well known and familiar to those experienced in this art, and'as this apparatus forms no part of the present invention it is not throught necessary to illustrate or describe such a means. Within the dump are mounted parallel rail sections 1 which,when the dump is in normal or loading position, are in alinement with inclined rail sections 2 and 3 of the approach and receiving tracks, respectively. This dump and the tracks arranged and related in the manner shown and described are well known in this art and I do not claim the same-as a; part of 'my invention except to further describe this part of the apparatus.

Application filed August 7, 1922. Serial No. 580,260.

in so far as they co-operate with means to be described to accomplish the desired result.

An operating shaft 1 is rockably mounted between rails 2 of the approach track,'this shaft being normally held in rocked adjustment in one direction by a weight 5. .Inner and outer sets of stops 6 and 7, respectively, are rockably mounted on stub-shafts 8 mounted in bearing sleeves 9 secured to the outer sides of rails 2. 7 Movement of these stops in one direction is cushioned by springs 10 mounted about shafts 8. A crank arm 11 is secured on the inner end of shaft 4: and is provided with a projecting pin 12 positioned to be struck by a cam 13 secured on dump structure A at the entrance end thereof. This cam is so positioned as to strike pin 12 as the dump is returned to loading position after an overturning operation, it being understood that the dump 75 turns or rotates in one direction and makes a complete revolution every time a car is dumped. The stops 6 and? are connected to shaft tby rods 4" and are oppositelyrelated so that when the shaft is rocked into its normal position by weight 5 the inner stops 6 are closed, the outer stops 7 being open. In practice, a trainof loaded cars is supported upon the approach andare held by the inner stops 6. When the dump is'returned to loading position shaft 4 is rocked in such "direction as to close stops 7 and open stops 6, thuscutting out one or more cars which forms a trip which travels by gravity onto track 1 of the dump. As the shaft 4' and the parts associated therewith are illustrated and described in detail in my patent above identified it is not thought necessary as A shaft 14: is rockably and slidably mounted on dump A and has secured on its outer end a rectangularly disposed trip arm 15 positioned to strike a trip finger 16 secured on a fixed beam 17 positioned adjacent to the exit endof the dump. Shaft M is connected by rods 18 to stops 19 similar to stops 6 and 7, these stops being roclrably mounted on stub-shafts 20 secured in sleeves 21 secured to the rail sections 1. Coil springs 22 are mounted about shafts 10 and cushion movement of stops 19 in one direction. A coil expansion spring 231is mounted about shaft 1 1 and is con'finedbetween collar 24 secured on the shaft,'this collar being provided with arms 25 to which rods 18 are secured, and a bearing sleeve 26 secured to a cross-brace 27 connectingrail sections 1. li/toveinent of shaft 15 towards the exit end of the dump is positively limited by a sleeve23 secured on the inner end of the shaft and bearing against the inner end of sleeve 26. Sleeve 28 is provided with an arm 29 to which is secured one end of a tension spring 30 the other end of which is secured to one of the rail sections 1, this spring acting to normally hold the shaft 1 1 rocked in such direction as to hold the stops 19 in closed position over track sections 1. The inner end of? shaft 14: is connected by a chain 31 to the inner end of an arm 32 secured on a shaft 33 rockably mounted through a supporting structure 34 secured to rail sections 1. A trip arm 35 is secured on the upper end of shaft 33 and extends over the tread portion of one of the rail sections 1 so that, as a loaded car enters the dump, arm 32 is forced inwardly toward the entrance end of the dump so as to pull shaft 1 1 inwardly moving arm 15 out of contact with finger 16 thusreleasing the shaft which is rocked by spring 30 in such direction as to close stops 19. 7

As the dump is returned to loading position after an overturning operation, arm 15 contacts with finger 16 so as to rock shaft 1 1 in such direction as to open the dump stops 19, this occurring shortly before the dump reaches its full loading position and steps 19 being held open after the dump reaches this position. Immediately after the dump stops are opened cam. 13 contacts with pin 12 so as rock shaft 4 in such direction as to open stops 6 and close stops 7. This permits a loaded car to enter the dump, this loaded car serving to push the empty car out of the dump onto the r ceiving or landing track 3. immediately after the empty car has been pushed out of the dump the wheels of the loaded car strike trip arm 35 so as to withdraw shaitt 14 and permit closing of the dump stops 19, which stops act to hold the loaded car on the dump. Arm 35 is preferably made so that the lower portion of this arm contacts with the web portion of the adjacent rail section 1 thus positively limiting outward movement of arm 35 which may be employed as a chock or stop to hold the car against movement toward the entrance end of the dump After this has been done the dump is again rotated releasing pin 12 so that shaft 4 is rocked by weight 5 into position to open stops 7 and close stops 6. This operation does not take place, however, until after the dump has traveled a predetermined distance in dumping direction. In this connection the provision of the cam 13 of a predetermined length is of great importance as this cam positively holds the outer stops 7 closed and the inner stops 6 open for a sutl'icient time to insure entry of the loaded car into the dump, and there is no possibility of the pin. 12 slipping out of contact with cam 13 during this operation. This also insures that the car entering the dump ii-ill be clear of stops 6 and will be in proper position upon the dump before the inner stops are closed and the outer stops open, thus preventing any interference between the car being loaded onto the dump and the car entering the space between the sets of stops 6 and 7. The cam thus obtains accuracy and certainty of operation and eliminates all possibility of interference be tween the cars while insuring proper loading and positioning of the car to be emptied on the dump.

While 1 have described the dump as a rotary dump, I do not use this term in its limited sense that is, to refer to a dump which makes a complete revolution, as it will be obvious that the apparatus can be used in connection with a cradle dump which is turned through a half revolution into dumping position in one direction, being then turned through a half revolution in the opposite direction to loading position. I also desire it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the details of construction disclosed herein except in so far as such limitation may be imposed by the appended claims, as various elements might be substituted for the elements of my apparatus. these substituted elements being equivalents of the elements which they replace.

What I claim is 1. In combination with a rotary dump structure including a track section, and approach and receiving tracks at the ends of the dump, inner and outer stops on the approach track, stops on the dump, means for closing the inner stops and opening the outer stops, means for closing the dump stops, means for opening the dump stops and holding them open when the dump is returned to loading position, means for open ing said inner stops and closing the outer stops on return of the dump to loading position, and means for releasing the dump stops to permit closing of the same as a loaded car moves into the dump a predetermined distance. i

2. In combination with a rotary dump structure including a track section, and approach and receiving tracks at the ends of the dump, inner and outer stops on the approach track, stops on the dump, means for closing the inner stops and opening the outer stops, means normally tending to close the dump stops, dumpactuated means for opening the dump stops and holding them open and for opening the inner stops and closing the outer stops when the dump is returned to loading position after an overturning operation, and means actuated by acar entering the dump for releasing the dump stops.

3. In combination With a rotary dump structure including a track section, and approach and receiving tracks at the ends of the dump, a shaft rockably mounted in the approach track, inner and outer stops connected to said shaft, said stops being oppositely related, means for holding the shaft rocked in one direction to hold the inner stops closed and the outer stops open, a cam on the dump, a member connected to the shaft and positioned to be struck by the cam for rocking the shaft in the other direction, said cam being disposed to strike said member as the dump returns to loading position after an overturning operation and being of suiiicient length to hold said shaft rocked in its other position until the dump has traveled a predetermined distance in dumping direction, stops on the dump, means for opening the dump stops as the dump is returned to loading position after an overturning operation, means normally tending to close the dump stops, and means actuated by a car entering the dump for releasing the dump stops to permit closing of the same.

4:. In combination with a unidirectional rotary dump structure including a track section, and approach and receiving tracks at the ends of the dump,inner and outer stops on the approach track, stops on the dump, means normally tending to close the dump stops, means for normally holding the inner stops closed and the outer stops opened, a cam on the entrance end of the dump, a

member positioned to be struck bythe camand connected to the stops on the approach track for opening the inner stops and clos ing the outer stops as the dump is moved into loading position after an overturning operation, means for opening the dump stops as the dump is moved into loading position,

and means actuated by a car entering the dump for releasing the dump stops to permit closing of the same,

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature.

JAMES A. NOLAN. 

